An 11-year-old Florida girl received a letter from school indicating she was at risk of becoming overweight Today.com reported.
Based on the letter, Lilly Grasso's 5-foot-3, 124-pound frame had a body mass index (BMI ) of 22, which therefore meant she was at risk of becoming obese. Kristen Grasso believes her daughter has a healthy weight and credits Lily's size to being active on the volleyball court.
"So many people don't say anything because who wants to be the family with a 'fat' kid. Well we are ready to stand up and say it is not right," Kristen Grasso said in an email to The Orlando Sentinel. "You want to measure Lily's health and development, then you better be a doctor who spends more than 3 seconds with her. Not a high school student helping administer health screenings."
The Florida Department of Public Health in Collier County, Fla. sent home what is referred to as a "fat letter" Today reported. Kristen Grasso said children might not feel good about being labeled as overweight or fat regardless if they are healthy or not.
"We do not want kids to have self-esteem issues," Deb Millsap, Collier County Health Department public information officer told Today. "Right on [the] letter it says sports may impact the results."
The letter told each student their BMI or their height and weight, and if they were in the healthy range. Parents were given results for their child's vision and hearing, and if they were at risk for scoliosis. Florida is also one of 21 states which require BMI screenings. Parents can opt out of these, but many do not.
"Because of the obesity crisis, we have to have some tool. The CDC will say [BMI] is not perfect," Florida department of public health director Joan Colfer told TODAY. "These are simply screen tests, it is not a diagnosis."
